Around 18 Year 9 students participated in the 10-week RFS cadet program.

It is the first time that Moss Vale High has participated.

The program teaches the students basic firefighting and fire safety skills, as well as developing leadership and team working initiatives.

Each week volunteers from local RFS brigades would come to the school to teach the students.

They were taught how to understand fire behaviour and fire fighting techniques, first aid, and radio communications and maintaining equipment.

RFS fire mitigation officer David Stimson said a few schools had shown an interest in incorporating the program into the curriculum.

The RFS Cadets is open to children between 12-16 years of age.

Moss Vale deputy principal Jennifer Raison said the program contributed a fantastic element to the students’ education.

“One privilege of being a teacher at a high school is you see young people develop into adults,” she said.

Wingecarribee RFS district manager superintendent Ashley Frank encouraged all the cadets and their fellow students to read the RFS Bush Firewise Action Plan, which has been mailed out.

Superintendent Frank said the Highlands has had many major fires and there are many more to come.

“The plan is a survival guide for staying alive in a bushfire prone area,” he said.